B.C. paraglider seriously injured from fall

SQUAMISH – A paraglider sustained life threatening injuries today when he fell into a log boom area near Howe Sound in Squamish.

Squamish RCMP launched their police boat alongside Squamish Fire Rescue members this morning, Aug. 29,  at 7:45 a.m., in order to retrieve the 40-year-old man from the water. 

They were able to bring the man into the boat and he was transported to an awaiting ambulance, Sgt. Sascha Banks said in a press release.

A short time later the man was flown to a Lower Mainland hospital via Air Ambulance with life threatening injuries.

From the initial investigation it appears the man was paragliding off the Stawamus Chief when he went into a spin with his wing and fell to the log boom area just to the west of where he launched from.

"The quick action of the employees from the log sort along with marine staff, Squamish Fire, Squamish BC Ambulance, and Squamish RCMP were essential to providing an extremely quick response to this serious situation," Banks said. "This represents what Squamish is about, where everyone works together to ensure this man received life-saving measures when he needed it most.  This summer season has been a tough one for all our emergency and SAR teams with the Stawamus Chief, we can only hope those up there focus on adventuring safely."

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